Key holder



Patented Oct. lg, 1942 ogeieg KEY HOLDER Leonidas J. Mitchell, Farmdale,Barboursville District, W. Va.

Application November '7, 1940, Serial No. 364,684

(Cl. 'l0- 456) Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the class of key holders, andits objects, more specifically stated, are as follows:

First, to provide a key holder suitable for carrying in pockets ofpersonal garments, in purses or elsewhere, which would occupy a minimumof space consistent With a high degree of utility and eiciency.

Second, to provide a key holder comprising a minimum number of partsconsistent with attractive appearance and faultle'ss' utility.

Third, to provide a key holder that, owing to its general design andoperating features, Vwould appeal to the desires, tastes and habits ofeither men or Women.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the followingspecifications, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, inwhich: Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my key holder with theflexible casing partly broken away.

Figure 2 is a View in perspective of 'a single loop key ring mounted ina reinforcing plate.

Figure 3 is a View Vin perspective of a do'uble loop key ring mounted ina modified form of reinforcing plate.

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of another modined form of reinforcing.plate and ring.

Figure 5 is an end view in elevation of the reinforcing plate shown inFig. 2 with the ring removed.

Y Figure 6 is an end' view in elevation of 'the key holder shown in Fig.1 with the casing in closed position. .o

Figure 7 is a similar end view showing a modi fied form of the exiblecover or casing for the key holder. l

Figure 8 isa longitudinal side viev of the key holder shown in Fig. 3with the casing partly in section. e

Figure 9 is a front elevation of tlie overlapping ends of the key ringshowing the tapered formation of said ends. l

Figure 10 is a similar viewshowing the overlapping end portions asreduced along their longitudinal axis.

Figure 11 is a. plan view of the overlapping ends of the ring shown inFig. I0.'

Referring more particularly to Figure 2, I2 and |2a designate a pair ofparallel legs formed by bending a strand of resilient wire intermediateits ends to form a plurality of loops or U-shaped members I5, I6 and 26.The U-shaped member 26 is disposed at substantially a right angle to aplane passing through the legs I2 and I2a.

The U-shaped member I6 has the usual bight portion connected by a leg 3)to one endof the U-shaped member 26. A leg 3| of the U-shaped member I5is connected to the other end of the U-shaped member 26.

A flat metal plate is bent U-shaped to conform to the shape of theU-shaped member 26 to form a saddle I4 to receive the free ends of thekeys 2| when said keys have been placed in the holder. This saddle hasits free ends as shown at 32 bent inwardly upon itself and is providedwith sockets 34 to receive the respective legs I2 and 39 and the legsI2@l and 3|.

Holes I3 are punched through the inturned 'portions 32 and the arms ofthe saddle I4, as shown, to receive rivets, staples or cleats 20.

The free ends of the legs I2 and IZa are bent inwardly at right anglesto each other and are placed in overlapped relation as shown at II,particularly in Figs. 9, 10 and l1. ln Fig. 9 the free ends are shearedoff at an angle so that when the ends overlap the cross sectional areaof the overlapped portion will be substantially the same 'as the crosssectional areas of the legs I2 and |2a.

In Figs. 1-0 and 11 is shown a modified form of the overlapped ends inwhich a semi-circular portion of each free end is cut away. The freeends are overlapped so that the overlapped ends will again havesubstantially the same cross sectional area as the legs I2 and |2a.Other forms of overlapped ends may be employed for the purpose.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 3 it will be seen that a pair oflkey rings are employed and these rings extend in opposite directionsfrom each other and are supported by the saddle Ida which is a slightmodification of the saddle shown in Fig. 2, although substantially thesame elements are employed in the key rings such as the pair of legs I2and |2a, the U-shaped members I5 and I6 and the U-shaped member 26.However, the free ends of the arms of the U-shaped saddle Ida areprovided with a pair of inturned portions 35 and 36 spaced from eachother with sockets 31 and 38 to receive the legs I2 and 30, and I2a and3|. It will be noted that the bight portions of the U-shaped members I6are in abutting 'relation as are the bight portions of the U-shapedmembers I5.

The saddle Ida is curved to conform to the curvature of the U-shapedmember 26. The inturned portions 35 and 36 of the arms of the saddle areprovided With passages I3 to receive rivets 2l) for the purpose ofsecuring the U-shaped members I5 and I6 against displacement and for apurpose which will be presently explained.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 4 it will be seen that a piece ofresilient Wire is bent to form a pair of parallel legs 40 and 4I whichhave their free ends in overlapped relation as shown at IIa. These legsare connected by a U-sliaped member generally designated by the numeral26a which extends below a plane passing through the legs 40 and 4| andat an obtuse angle to said plane.

A saddle I9 is formed of sheet metal and is provided with a pair ofinturned portions 42 at the free ends of the arms of said saddle toreceive the legs 40 and 4I. One side edge of the saddle is also providedwith inturned portions 43 to form sockets to receive the legs of theU-shaped member 26a which is curved to conform to the curvature of thesaddle I9.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 1, 6, 7 and 8 a cover or casing 23houses the key ring and the saddle and is secured at its side edges tothe arms of the saddle by means of rivets 20. I'hese rivets perform thedouble function of securing the side edges of the coveror casing to thesaddle,

In Fig. 7 the ends of the casing 23 are laid in over-lapped relationabove the keys and in a sub- Y stantially horizontal position afterwhich the elements of the separable fastener 41 are forced together.

In this type of construction the handles 48 of the keys are locatedoutwardly so that the usual openings in the handles will be received bythe overlapped portions II of the ring While the free ends of the keys,as Shown in Fig. 8, Will rest and be supported by the saddle I4 or I4a.The legs I2 and IZa or the similarly positioned legs 40 and 4| of thekey ring will act as side rails for aiding in maintaining the keys inposition. The keys are inserted by prying open the overlapped ends II ofthe ring so that the opening in the handle of the key may be received byone of the ends and the key is then moved to a position where it will befree of the other end of the overlapped portion so that the overlappedportion will be permitted to spring back into place due to the tensionexerted by the resiliency of the l wire.

While only one rivet is employed for securing the casing or cover 23 tothe saddle I9 in Fig. 4, nevertheless, the length of the saddle is suchas to prevent movement of the casing when riveted to the saddle.

The casing or cover may be formed of leather or any suitable compositionmaterial suitable for the purpose and due to the flexibility of thesematerials they may be easily bent along the free edges to the positionshown in Figs. 6 and 7.

The saddles I4, Ida, or I9 not only perform the function of supportingthe free ends of the keys but they also provide means for rigidlyholding the legs of the key ring in parallel relation.

Figures 2 and 4 show single key rings, While Figure 3 discloses a doublekey ring in which the overlapped ends I l of the legs I2 and |2a operateas a holder for the keys when the keys are disposed in parallel positionwith the inner free ends of the keys resting on the saddle I4a.

I claim:

1. A key holder comprising a piece of resilient wire bent intermediatethe ends thereof into a plurality of U-shaped members, and a strip offlat metal curved to form a U-shaped saddle to support the free ends ofkeys, the ends of the arms of the saddle being bent upon said arms toengage around the legs of a pair of the iirstmentioned U-shaped members,the free ends of the wire being located in overlapping relation andadapted to be separated to receive keys.

2. A key holder comprising a piece of resilient wire bent intermediatethe ends thereof into a plurality of U-shaped members and a strip offlat metal curved to form a U-shaped saddle to support the free ends ofkeys, a pair of the firstmentioned U-shaped members being disposed inparallel relation, the ends of the arms of the saddle being bent uponsaid arms and provided with spaced sockets to receive the legs of thepair of U-shaped members, the free ends of the wire being located inoverlapping relation and adapted to be separated to receive keys.

3. A key holder comprising a piece of resilient wire bent intermediatethe ends thereof into a plurality of U-shaped members and a strip ofiiat metal curved to form a U-shaped saddle to support the free ends ofkeys, a pair of the rstmentioned U-shaped members being disposed inparallel relation, the ends of the arms of the saddle being bent uponsaid arms and provided with spaced sockets to receive the legs of thepair of U-shaped members, the free ends of the wire being located inoverlapping relation and adapted to be separated to receive keys, theother U-shaped member being alined with the curved edge of the saddle.

4. A key holder comprising a strand of resilient Wire bent intermediatethe ends thereof to form a U-shaped member and a pair of parallel legs,the free ends of the legs being bent inwardly towards each other inoverlapping relation, said U-shaped member being located at an angle toa plane passing through the parallel legs, and a saddle formed of astrip of at metal bent into U-shaped formation, the free ends of theU-shaped saddle being bent around the legs, the first-mentioned U-shapedmember being disposed in alinement with anedge of the saddle.

5. A key holder comprising a piece of resilient wire bent intermediatethe ends thereof into a plurality of U-shaped members and a strip offlat metal curved to form a U-shaped saddle to support the free ends ofkeys, a pair of the rstmentioned U-shaped members being disposed inparallel relation, the ends of the arms of the saddle being bent uponsaid arms and provided with spaced sockets t0 receive the legs of thepair of U-shaped members, the free ends of the Wire being located inoverlapping relation and adapted to be separated to receive keys, meansconnecting the in-bent portions of the arms of the saddle to said arms.

LEONDDAS J. MITCHELL.

